The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC has declared Timipre Sylva a former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, wanted.
in a statement on Monday on X,the EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Sylva is wanted over an alleged case of conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.
The Commission said the money is “part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a Refinery”.
“The public is hereby notified that TIMIPRE SYLVA, a former Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, whose photograph appears above is wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an alleged case of Conspiracy and Dishonest Conversion of $14,859,257 – part of funds injected by the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) into Atlantic International Refinery and Petrochemical Limited for the construction of a Refinery. Sylva, 61, is from Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. This notice is pursuant to a November 6, 2025 warrant of the Lagos State High Court. Anybody with useful information as to his whereabouts should please contact the Commission in its Ibadan, Uyo, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Benin, Makurdi, Kaduna, Ilorin, Enugu, Kano, Lagos, Gombe, Port Harcourt or Abuja offices or through 08093322644; its e-mail address: info@efcc.gov.ng or the nearest Police Station and other security agencies.”
The EFCC Manhunt comes weeks after Sylvia was alleged to have sponsored a failed coup which Sylva denied. However , Sylvia confirmed that his Maitama residence in Abuja was raided by security agencies .
